The Washington critic., 1887-02-26
RONANA DRUSE,

One wrong does not Justify another,
II is true. But II does not follow that
because injustice has been done In one
case, there should be no attempt to do
Justice in another. 1t is true that be-
cause Mrs. Roxana Druse Is to be hung
in Herkimer County, N. Y, next Mon.
day, for tho murder Of her husband,
furnishes no reason in itself why Ed.
ward Unger, who committed an equally
revolving crime, and got only twenty
years imprisonment, should also be
hung.
Or. reversing the proposition we
might say that because Unger is let of
so easy Is no conclusive reason why
Mrs. Druse's sentence should be CON-
muted.
Yet, In one or the other of these
cases-perha in both-a great wrong
ia involved, and while 1t is now too late
to try Unger over again-the judgment
rendered being flual and irrevocable-
II Is not too late to give the condemned
woman the benefit of every circum-
stance that suggests au cxtenuation of
her crime or lack of moral account
ability for 1t. But this cannot be done
iudicially. The courts have parted
with her as they have parted with
Unger. Her only hope rests upon the
slightest possible chance of executive
clemency.
1t is case that Governor Hill can
easily dispose of by allowing the law to
take its course. This Is the popular
method of dealing with such dilemmas.
1t requires no apologies Lor defenses.
Our Governor Is brave man, the peo.
pie will say; he allows no sympathetic
nor sentimental considerations to swerve
him; he insists that "the law must take
Its course"
If 1t so happens, however, that there
exists In the Governors mind we'll.
defined doubt as to the justice OF Mrs.
Druse's execution; If he really feels, as
many friends of the unfortunate woman
undoubtedly do feel, that the crime for
which she is condemned to suffer was
committed under perverted moral con-
dItions to which she had been wrought
up by long years Of savage and inhu'
man abuse on the part OF her husband
ard that her mental faculties had be
come so unbalanced as not to appreciate
the full enormiiy of her act, then II
would require much greater degree
of bravery not to Interfere than II would
10 interfere.
It's generally understood that Gov
ernor Hill would like to save the wo.
man II he could, and there are several
prtceden,s in New York by which h,
would be warranted in doing so. Bl
as yet he cannot see his way clear tc
such action. and probably will not.
AS 10 the question Of sex, 1t is not T.
be considered. There is no sex In crlme
The Legislature of New York has JUS
decided that there shall be no excmp
tlons from capital punishment on thi
ground, although the strangling of
woman to death on the scaiford is ia
more repu'slvc to our human sensi
bilities, and far more barbarlc an
brutal than the putting of man t
death In the same way.
There still remains the point thu
whereas petition for the pardon q
Edward Unger would be received wit
derision and a great clamor be raise
thatif this man had got his just deserts
he would have been hung instead G
sent TO Sing Sing, the petitions for til
pardon of Mrs. Druse, whose Grim
paItook far less Of cold and savage d,
liberation than Unger's, and TO hi
weak, half crazed perceptions partoo
of the nature of an act Of self-defetT
are numerously and inhuentially signe
and represent an element of publ
sentiment which deserves considers
tion.
Why this difference 1t Is becaui
of the fragrant injustice of condemnin
TO death friendless woman. made dc
perate by sharp domestic adversit.
and smarting under the sufferings {
years, as compared with the leniency {